In two years I have only been stung once and that was this year when I was introducing the bees to hive. I wasn't wearing protective clothing and I dropped the box into the hive. One flew up and got me on the jaw.
A sting every now and then is good for you as long as you are not allergic - or you don't get swarmed all at once as that can cause allergic reactions down the road. One of engineers was mowing last year and got attacked by ground bees and got stung several times. This year he was out jogging and got stung once and had a severe allergic reaction. His dr said that him running probably saved his life as his body was naturally creating adrenaline. He now has to carry an epi-pen with him at all times.
Now, honey bees are different than any other stinging insect. They will only sting if they are provoked and are surprisingly gentle. I often go to the hive without protective clothing and just observe. They will fly around you to get to their hive. Their main goal is to build comb, collect pollen, and make honey.
My grandfather kept bees.. When I was 4 i banged on the hive in the winter with a stick because i didn't see them all out front hanging on the hive like they were all summer. I got stung 34 times... The very next summer my cousin threw sand at the hive with a plastic shovel. I got stung 26 times. Now. If I get stung by 3-4 honeybees my ass better be on the way to a hospital. Hornets, red wasps, yellow jackets don't mater. Only honeybees.
Think that stops me? 3 years ago one evening a buddy and i found a nice hive under a giant oak limb on Deer Creek.. We came back the next morning when it was cold and i climbed up there and robbed them blind. Killed the hive but they were dead anyway with the winter coming and just under a limb like that out in the open. He was shaking his head saying i was nuts.. It was then I told him. Oh yeah. BTW. I'm allergic. But it's Ok.. I have my eppi pen.. Guess what I used to smoke em before i cut the comb away.. Yep.. My smoker. duh. LOL
BTW my mother was always on his ass to get rid of those bees. He never did. One evening he went out there to rob them and they swarmed his ass. Even with the protective clothing, four bees managed to get under his bonnet and got him in the neck. . They had went "aggressive" or something like that.. He went back out there with a gas can and burned the whole farm to the ground.. LOL